2. Nicklas Backstrom: PATIENT

Nicklas Backstrom has an uncanny—almost unfathomable—ability to hold onto the puck one second longer than expected so that he can maintain possession, start the breakout or assist a teammate.

But Backstrom's patience has served him in other regards.

During the 2011-12 season, Backstrom patiently waited 40 games to recover from a concussion suffered at the hands of Rene Bourque. Meanwhile, Bourque was suspended five games, according to Katie Carrera of The Washington Post, and faced minimal retribution for his transgression.

Backstrom has had to be patient throughout his career as he awaits the recognition he deserves. According to his profile at Hockey-Reference.com, Backstrom has not won any postseason awards since his rookie campaign, and has yet to be voted to the All-Star Game.

Finally, Backstrom has had to be patient with the Washington Capitals organization.

The team has struggled to find a second-line center for years, forcing him to shoulder the load on offense and the power play as the primary playmaker.

Backstrom has even needed patience with regards to the Capitals' coaching changes. The Swedish centerman talked to Katie Carrera of The Washington Post about Dale Hunter's resignation following the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the team's deepest foray into the postseason since 2009:

We played good hockey in the playoff and I think he’s been doing so many good things for this team. I really wanted to see him back next year but unfortunately he’s not. It’s not good.

3. Mike Green: ANACHRONISTIC

You see, Green is playing hockey in the wrong era. If he were playing in the NHL 40 years ago, he'd have won the Norris Trophy half-a-dozen times, much like Bobby Orr. If Green were playing in the NHL 30 years ago, he'd have won the Norris three or four times, much like Paul Coffey.

But instead, Green is playing in an era in which for a brief period of two seasons, the NHL decided to break from the precedent set by Orr in which the Norris Trophy winner is given to an offensive-minded defenseman.

During this period—from 2008 to 2010—the NHL instead awarded the Norris Trophy to a defensive-minded defenseman, only to reestablish the offense-first precedent after that two-year window had closed.

As a result, Mike Green has no Norris Trophies, and the credibility of the award as a fair and valid means of acknowledging outstanding defensemen of all skill sets has been further eroded.

Green's anachronistic career was further highlighted when the 2011-12 Norris Trophy was awarded to Ottawa Senators rookie Erik Karlsson, who posted 19 goals, 59 assists and 78 points with a plus-16 rating.

These numbers were eerily similar to Green's 2009-10 season, when he scored 19 goals with 57 assists for 76 points, with a plus-39 rating. Despite almost identical seasons, the Norris went to Karlsson that season, but never Green.

5. Braden Holtby: UNPREDICTABLE

Braden Holtby playing goalie for the Washington Capitals is as unpredictable as opening a box of chocolates: you never know what you're going to get.

The eccentric netminder is maddeningly inconsistent. Holtby will be simply sensational one game, simply dreadful the next.

Case in point, the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Take a look at Holtby's game logs for the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against the New York Rangers:

GOALS

SHOTS

SAVES

SV %

DECISION

GAME 1

1

36

35

0.972

Win

GAME 2

0

24

24

1.000

Win

GAME 3

4

30

26

0.867

Loss

GAME 4

4

34

30

0.882

Loss

GAME 5

1

25

24

0.960

Win

GAME 6

1

29

28

0.966

Loss

GAME 7

5

27

22

0.815

Loss

But it's not just his performance from game to game that's unpredictable, it's his play in net during each game.

In Game 4 of the 2013 ECQF versus the Rangers, Holtby played the puck with plenty of time and space, and attempted to clear it out of his zone. The puck was intercepted by the Rangers, leading directly to their first goal in a game they would win 4-3. After the game, Holtby explained the play to Ben Rothenberg of The New York Times:

It was an unfortunate play. I thought I made the right play; I thought I got it high enough for it to be a high stick. And it’s just what happens. That’s the way I play the game, so I’m not going to change.

With this type of mindset from their goaltender, the Capitals' results will become very predictable.